Date finder unit



DATE FINDER UNIT A EC L.

Aug. 14, 1945. E. L TURNBAUGH 2,382,754

DATE FINDER UNIT Filed Dec. 2o, 1940 4 Sheets-sheet 2 Aug 145 1,945- E. L TURNBAUGH 2,382,754

DATE FINDER UNIT v Filed Dec. 2o, m40 4 sheets-sheet s AUS 14 1945- Y E. l. TURNBAUGH 2,382,754

" DATE -FINDER UNIT Filednec. 2o, 19540 4 sheets-sheet 4 .a portion yof the clutch Patented Aug. 14, 1945 UNITE-D STATES PATENT OFFICE DATE FINDER UNIT Elbert L. Turnbaugh,

signor lto Percentogr corporation of Calif San Francisco, Calif., as-

aph Inc., Carmel, Calif., a

ornial Application December 20, 1940, Serial No. 371,059 6 Claims. (Cl. 40-111) means for setting .the terminating date of any Y commercial paper.

Another object Aof the invention is to provide a ,date nder unit which maybe operated either vin a forward or ina backward direction for calculating commercial interest between intervening dates vor for `calculating 'discount figures.

A lfurtherobject .of the invention is to provide -a device of this rcharacter wherein means is employed for permitting resetting oi" the machine, when necessary, to make Lallowance 4for .leap years.

And `still another object of the invention is to provide a date nder unit which 4will be lof relatively simple construction and will rbe veasy to operate.

Other objects of `the invention, not pointed 4out -hereinbeffora -`will Ibecome apparent during the course Aof .the lfollowing description` In the rdrawings toi-.ming apart of my application;

Figure l is a fron-t celevation 'of my'improved date finder unit,

Eig-ure 2 is a bottom -view thereof,

`Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 `0I" Figure l, looking .ii-n `the direction indicated .by the arrows,

Figureli is a vertical sectional -view on the line 4-4of Figure 1,

Figure `5 is :a vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 1,

Figure -6 Iis Va verticalsectiona-l view'on the -line 6*6 of Figure 1,

,Figure 7 is a vertical sectional viewA on the Iline 'I-'I ofEigure ll,

Figure y8 is Ia vertical 18-13 of ,Figure l1,

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view fon the line perspective View showing mechanism employed, .Figure `10 is `.a detail sectional view better lshowing the 1detent mechanism, and

.Figure v:L1 isa front elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing 4the arrangement of the gearing and indicator drums.

dicates in general the `frame .of my improved date nder unit. The frame -I ,includes .end ,plates i2 and `3 which Vare normally retained i-n parallel spaced relation by means of spacer ,members 4 5 and k6J As seen in Figures B `througlzi 8 vo'f `the drawings, the end plates .2 .and 3 `are :formed with inclined edges 2a and ,3a.

Mounted on the frame I is an operating shaft assembly .'I. The operating shaft ,asembly includes a stub shaft 8 having a turning knob .9 at

theouter end thereof. Therstubshaft is mounted ina bearing I9 which is termed Aof bronze or other suitable material and kis -suitablysecured to the end plate 3 substantially medially of its width. Formed on the inner end of 4the stub shaft 3 is a clutch member I.I. The vclutch -member is best seen in Figure y9 of the `draw-ings :and by referring thereto, it will be seen that .said clutch member -is circular and is for-med with recesses yI2 and guide tongues I3.

Surrounding the stub shaft -8., within the kbearing I0, is a clutch sleeve I4, and mountedon the sleeve is a gearV I5. The .clutch sleeve I4 xalso carries a clutch element :I6 best :seen in 'Eigure 9, vand said clutch element .carries rclutch teeth I1v which are selectively engageable in the recesses I2.

The operating shaft assembly I .includes an operating shaft IB which has 'one end portion journaled in the end plate 2 land the otherend portion journaled by the stub lshaft '8, which vis counterbored for the purpose, :in a conventional manner. A locking sleeve AI9 is llined tothe projecting end of the shaft I8 in abutting engagement to the outer face of vthe plate f2 @for ythe purpose of preventing displacement -of the shaft within the frame. Pinned or 'otherwise suitably secured to the operating shaft t8, within the frame, is a driving pinion 20, 'said driving pinion having spaced pinion elements :27| Aand .22 and .a connecting element 23, said connecting element having slots 24 which slidably receive the yguide tongues I3.

The connecting element23is counterbored, as shown in do-tted lines :at 25 in Figure 9 lto lreceive compression springs, one 'of which A:is shown at 25, said lcompression springs normally bearing against the face of the clutch member.-I-I. The springs 26 will normally urge the clutch member I'I into engagement with the clutch element -I 6, with the result thatthe tongues ITI lwill be engaged in ythe recesses )I2 and the -clutch sleeve I4 thus operatively connected with :the stub shaft 8. Rotation 'of fthe :stub shafwt will, accordingly, cause rotation of the :sleeve I4 -vand 2 the gear I5, said gear being employed for operatively connecting the date finder unit with the calculating machine with which it is associated. When the stub shaft is pushed inwardly within the clutch sleeve I4, the clutch member II will be disengaged from the clutch element I6. In this condition the operating shaft I8 and the stub shaft 8 may be rotated withoutrotating: either the sleeve I4 or the gear I5. It will be understood that, inasmuch as the guide tongues I3 are slidably engageable in the slots 24, it will be possible to shift the stub shaft with respect to the operating shaft, against the tension of the springs 26. Also, inasmuch as the tongues I3 are always in engagement with the slots 24, the stub shaft 8 will always be operatively connected with the operating shaft I8. As soon as pressure is released from the stub shaft 8, the springs 26 will urge the clultch member II into engagement with the clutch element I6 so that the clutch sleeve I4 and gear I5 will be rotatably connected with said stub shaft.

It should be understood that the various gears and pinions forming a part of this invention are' held in fixed relation on their respective shafts by means of tapered pins which extend through the gears and shafts. It should be understood, however, that any suitable means of securing the gears to their respective shafts may be employed.

Fixed on the operating shaft I8 near the end plate 2 is a single driving pinion 21, said single driving pinion being spaced from the end plate 2 by a sleeve 28. The purpose for the single driving pinion 21 will be brought out in more detail hereinafter.

Mounted in the frame near the center thereof and medially of its height is an indicator supporting shaft 29,A said shaft extending throughout the length of the frame and having its end portions journaled in the plates 2 and 3. Mounted on the shaft 29 are indicator `drums 3D, 3I and 32, said indicator drums being of the same diameter but having ,circumferential f aces. or edges, of different widths. The indicator drum 30 has only the letter S and an asterisk thereon. The purpose of the drum 39 is to permit setting of the drumsv3| and 32 to allow for certain conditions as, for example, leap years. That is to say, it is necessary Ato reset the drum section 39 on leapyears after the 29th day of February and thei'lrst Sunday following to take care of the subsequent Sundays. The procedure for setting the drum section will be described in more detail hereinafter. The drum 30 is movable about the shaft 29 but is held against longitudinal movement on said shaft by means of a sleeve 33.` A gear 34 is mounted against one face of the drum 30 and is of slightly less diameter than said drum. As best seen in Figure 3 of the drawings, the gear 34 is formed with an annular series of spaced recesses 35. In order normally to impart rotative movement to the indicator drum 30, I provide a driving gear 36, said driving gear being loosely mounted on the shaft 29 and being mounted in spaced relation to the gear 34 and being of substantially the same diameter as said gear 34. As best seen in Figures 3 and l0 of the drawings, the driving gear 36 carries a detent housing 31 thereon, said detent housing being located near the edge of the gear and being disposed to aline, selectively, with the recesses 35. The detent housing is, however, located on the face of the gear 36 opposite the face thereof which confronts the gear 34. The detent housing 31 carries a detent 3B which is normally urged vbers 28 through 31 are Aoutwardly by means of a compression spring 39, said detent being normally engageable in one of the recesses in the face of the gear 34 for retaining the drum 30 against relative movement with respect to the gear 36. The gear 36 meshes with the single driving pinion 21 so that, when the operating shaft assembly is rotated, the driving gear 36 will be rotated for rotating the gear 34 and the drum 30, by virtue of the detent connection between said gear 34 and said driving gear 36.

In order to rotate the drum 30 without rotating either the drums 3| or 32, I provide a Vernier shaft 40, said vernier shaft having a gear 4I keyed thereto and extended throughout the length of the frame. The Vernier shaft is journaled by the end plates 2 and 3 and is held against displacement by means of a collar 42. As will be seen at 43, the Vernier shaft extends through the end plate 3 and is formed with a screw-driver slot 44. The gear 4I meshes with the gear 34 so that, when the shaft 40 is rotated, the gear 4I will transmit rotative movement to the drum 38, through thegear 34, without rotating either the shaft 29 or the drum 3I or drum 32.

The drum 3| is rotatable about the shaft 29 and carries against one face thereof a gear 45, said gear 45 being of somewhat less diameter thanthe diameter of said drum 3I. Carried on the face of the indicator drum 3| are abbreviated words representing the months of the year, each month being placed on the surface of the drum twice, the occurrences of identical months being placed adjacent to each other. The structure employed for rotating the indicator drum 3| will be set forth in more detail hereinafter.

The drum 32 will now be described. This drum comprises an outer section 32a which has on its circumferential surface the numbers 1 through 27. The outer section is formed'with a cut-away portion 32b which is substantially rectangular in configuration, said cut-away portion being for the purpose of revealing numerals on the space of a drum section 32c which is of slightly less diameter than the section 32a and which rotates within said section independently thereof. The numplaced on the surface of the drum section 32C. The drum section 32 is, as stated, rotatable independently' of the drum section 32a, said drum section 32a being pinned to rotate with the shaft 29, while the drum section 32c is rotatable about said 'shaft 29. For imparting rotative movement to the drum section 32, I provide a gear 46. It vwill thus be understood that, when the indicator supporting shaft 29 is4 rotated, the drum section 32a will be rotated. Mechanism to be described hereinafter is required to cause rotation of the drum section 32C.

Mounted to rotate about the shaft 29, adjacent to the indicator drum 32, is a cam gear 41. Said cam gear has a cam 48 thereon. The purpose for the cam gear 48 will be set forth in more detail hereinafter.

Mounted on the shaft 29 is a double unit driving gear 49, said gear 49 including units 50 and 5 I, said units being better seen in Figures 6 and '1 of the drawings. The unit 5I is pinned to rotate with the shaft 29 and includes a driving gear 52 which is normally adapted to mesh with the pinion 22. As best seen in Figure '1, the gear 52 has a cut-away portion 53. Formed integrally with'the gear 52 is a gear 54, said gear having but one tooth, indicated at 55, thereon. A gear taining the segment with its teeth -60 cut-away portion 12.

flange .55 is also formed integrally with the |gear 52 lof the -unt 5| and has a recess or :socket fi-1in alii-lement with 'the tooth 55 to cooperate therewith.

The gear 52 has slidably mounted on its 'face ya gear segment 58, said segment being normally held in retracted position by means yof a spring .59, said segment having teeth '60, :of the same pitch as `the teeth on the :gear Y52. A11 operating pin `6| is mounted on the face of the segment 5B and projects .laterally therefrom. The segment 58 is held 4in sliding relation to rthe gear 52 by a nut `(i2, the extent .of travel of the segment over the face of the gear 52 being limited by 'the limits ofthe slot 63, which is formed in the segment vand receives the shaft 29 therethrough. The gear 52 has formed, near its outer circumferential edge, an arcuate slot |54 through which projects a connecting pin 65 which is carried -on the `:gear unit 5.0. l

A latch .86 is -pivotally .mounted ron the face ofthe gear 52 by means of a screw B7. The `latch has, near its free end, a -notch to receive a pin |50 on the segment 58, said latch also :carrying an operating arm 69 which projects .laterally ftherefrom. A contractile spring 10 normally retains thelatch in engagement with `the pin vlill, for refree from the cut-away portion .53. The operation-of the gear 52 with the segment 58 and the latch 66 thereon, will be set forth in more retailhereinafter.

The unit 50 is vbest seen .in Figure 6, `and by referring to this g'ure, it .will be seen that said -unit is rotatable about the shaft 29 and includes a gear 'Il having a cut-.away portion l2 thereon. The unit v5l) also carries, adjacent to the gear l l, a gear flange 13, said gear flange having three spaced tooth receiving recesses, simi-lar .to the recess l2 in the vgear 1|.. Adjacent the gear flange, there is formed integrally a gear 7,5 having but three teeth thereon. The remaining portion of the unit 50 is comprised by an annular surface 16 having a detent recess 'H therein.

The unit 50 carries asegment gear 18 which is similar to the segment gear 58. The segment gear 18 has a pair of teeth 'I9 thereon which project into the area adjacent the cut-away .portion -'|2. The segment gear 1.8 is slidable over the face of the gear l'H diametrically thereof, .this sliding movement being permitted by an elongated slot 80 which slidably receives a square bushing 8| about the shaft 29. A cam engaging pin `orstud 82 is mounted Von the lface of the segment gear 18 and projects laterally therefrom. A contractile spring 83 is connected between a pin 184, on lthe gear 7|, and a lug 85 which pro-jects fromsaid segment gear. Said spring normally retains the segment gear in retracted position on .the face of the gea-r 1I and out of the area adjacent ythe The pin 82 is adapted 4for engagement with the cam 48 on the gear .41.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 2.9 .betweenthe double unit driving gear 49 and the end plate .3 is a double cam gear 86, said double cam gear having cams 81 and 88 mounted rigidly thereon. The cam A88 is for engagement by the pinyl while the cam 8'! is for .engagement by the .operating arm 69. As will be understood, the cam 81 is of irregular formation. In this connection, reference is rparticularly had to Figure -8 0f the drawings.

Mounted on the shaft .2.9 between the double cam gear 86 and the .plate 3 is a retaining disk 89, said disk having a recess 90 for engagement V,originatingfel-ate is disclosed .on

by :a detent 9|., said detent being .carried on an anni 92 which 'is pivotally mounted on a countershaft 93, said .counter-shaft extending between the lend` 'plates "2 and `3.. lIn lorder to retain the .detent 9=| in engagement vwiththe disk 89,I provide :a contractile spring I94, said :spring extending between :the ifree'en'd of the arm 92 :anda pin 'R5 on the fend plate 3.

In 4'order-2te transmit rotative movement of the unit :50 of the double unit gear 449 to :the gear f4.6 onflthe drum section 32C, I provide a double -gearunit 96 which is pinned to the'counterlshaft 493 and-"is located substantially medially between the Vends of the rframe. The double gear unit T includes "a .gear '91, 'which actually Vmeshes with ith-e gear '48, and .gears :98 and '99 which Ameshl with the gears 1113 and 14. The gear 98 is 'formed with cut-away portions which define groups of teeth with .the .result that, when the .gear -unt r5|) iis rotated through a complete rotation, the gears B8 and T99 will be lrotated substantiallycne -zouarter rotation. 'The operation will :be :set forth .fin rmore detail hereinafter. Spacer sleeves m0 surround .the `counter-shaft 93 for eiectively rei'..ain:ing the :arm 92 in proper position.

Mounted inthe frame is a transmission shaft said transmission shaft being journaled by means of ybearing lbushings |02. .sion shaft |0| has xed thereon 4transmission units |03 and |04. "Ihe unit |03 includes gears |05 and L06 `which :are connected to each other by :an integral the gear 45 on the indicator drum 3| and the gear |05 meshes with fthe cam gear 41.

The transmission unit '|04 is also mounted on the shaft |01 in :such a l`manner that, when said Sha-ft is rotated,=.the |04wil1'also be rotated. '-Ilhe transmission -un'it |04 includes a gear |01 which meshes :with the double cam gear :86. The .unit also includes a double -gear |08 which double gear meshes with the rigears :54 and 56 on the unit 45|. The double 'gear |08 vis connected-to the gear '|07 by means 4vof a sleeve |09.

Rookably .mountedon the shaft |0I, between the units |03 and |:04', is a detent lever ||0, said detent lever having a vdetent roller mounted at one end and having a pin ||2 at the-'opposite end. 'The end Iof `the detent :tent roller `|2|l| therein .is :normally urged ftoward the surface 11.6 land the recess 'Il by means of a contractile spring IIB.

The operation .of 'the invention will now be wzie'soribed.v

It .is -rst :assumed that a calculating machine with which 4the invention may be associated is .set with those numerals thereon, which-arepre sented to .confront the -sight openings, indicating zeros. The calculating machine is of lthe .type shown my co-pending application, Serial '.No. .364,724 :filed November '7, 1940. It is first necessary .to `find the desired terminating date for .the icommercial paper in question. To accomplish this, 'the knob .9 is pushed inwardly for disengar'ing .thefclutoh member from the .clutch element l5. This .is ydone in order to prevent rotation of the gear |5-when the knob is rotated. The .'hnob is then rotated for rotating the indicator drums -SI and 3,2 for the desired terminating date which will be disclosed by said indicavtor.drunzlsiland 3.2. Then release knob A9 which will reengage with clutch element Hi. 'I'he crank `shaft of thefcalculating machine with which .the .date finder is associated .is then rotated until :the .drums 3l and 32,

The transmis- Sleeve. The lgear |05 meshes with lever, with the dethe number of days intervening between the terminating and originating date being shown on a day counter unit of conventional design. Rotation of the indicator drums is, of course, accomplished by the driving pinion elements 2| and 22 which mesh with the gears of the double unit driving gear 49. More specifically, when the operating shaft |8 is operated, by action of the knob and stub shaft 8, the pinion elements 2| and 22 mesh with the gearunits 5U and 5| for rotating the shaft 25. Rotation of the shaft 29 communicates rotative movement to the indicator drum 32, which drum indicates the days of the month up through 2'1. In order to indicate the remaining days of the month, i. e., 28, 29, 30 and 3l, the drum section 32C is employed. This drum section 'is rotated by action of the gear unit 96 on the counter-shaft 93. That is to say, the gears 98 and 99 being in mesh with their associated gears on the section 50, will be rotated through substantially one-fourth a revolution atv each complete revolution of said unit 50. This quarter revolution is transmitted through the gear E71 to the drum section 32c for presenting the proper numbers through the opening 32b in the drum section 32a. It will now be seen that the days o-f thel month from 28 through 31 will be indicated through the opening 32b after each revolution of said indicator drumv 32. At the same time. the unit on the transmission terest between vintervening dates, as hereinbefore explained, andthe forward movement being employed for arriving at discount figures. Suitable mechanism on the calculating machine is employed for reversing the movement of the date finder unit.

The drum has to be reset on leap years after the 29th day of February and th'e first Sunday following to allow for subsequent Sundays. This is accomplished by using a small instrument, such as a screw-driver, and rotating the shaft 40. The spring pressed detent 38 will permit rotation of the drum 30 without rotating the rest of the mechanism.

Itis thought that the construction and operation of the improved date finder unit will now be lunderstood.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a date finder unit, an indicator supporting shaft, a drum rotatably mounted on said shaft and shaft lill will transmit rotative movement to the The cam gear will be operated for shifting the pin 82 and thus shifting the segment gear 18 on the face of the gear 1|. In other words, under certain conditions, it will be desirable to permit rotation of the section 5| through a small portion of its circumference without rotation of the unit 50, and vice versa. Slippage of the section is caused when the segment gear is in retracted position on the face of said gear 1|. However, when the cam gear 41 is rotated, the cam 48 will engage the pin 82 for urging the gear segment 18 into the area adjacent the cut-away portion 12. When this cam gear 41.

happens, the pinion element 2|, which is suf ficiently wide to engage both the gear 1| and the element 18, will rotate said gear 1| without slippage.

Rotation of the transmission shaft 0| will also E cause rotation of the unit |04 with the result that said unit will transmit rotative movement to the double cam gear 86. Rotation of this gear causes the cam 88 to act upon the segment 58 in the same manner as does the cam 48 act upon the segment gear 18; that is to say, for allowing or prevent' ing circumferential slippage of the driving gear 52 of the unit 5|. The cam 81 cooperates With the arm 69 for alternately releasing and retaining'the segment gear 58 on the face of the gear 52. As stated, it is desirable to allow relative movement between th`e sections 50 and 5I of the double unit driving'gear 49 under certain conditions, such as, to allow for the months that have but thirty days.

After the terminate date has been found, by rotation of thegearsand indicator drums in the manner hereinbefore set forth, the crank of the calculating machine with' which the 'date finder unitl is associated is rotated until the originating date appears. After this is done, the calculating machine'will operate to show the base figure of interest for the length of time between the originating date and the terminating date.

The improved date finder unit can be operated backward as well as forward, the backward movement being used for calculating commercial inhaving indicia relating to the month's of the year thereon, another drum on said shaft and having inner and outer drum sections each having indicia relating to the days of the month, said inner drum section being rotatable about the shaft and said `outer section being rotatable on the inner section and having a sight window for permitting viewing of indicia on the inner section, said outer section being rotated with the shaft, a countershaft, means on the countershaft and on the rst mentioned shaft for imparting rotative movement to the outer drum section, a transmission shaft, and means on the transmission shaft and cooperating with said means on the first mentioned shaft for imparting movement to the first mentioned drum.

2. In a date finder unit, a plurality of drums, a shaft supporting the drums, one of said drums having the months of the-year listed thereon and another of said drums having inner and outer sections, each of said sections having certain days of the month numbered th'ereon, an operating shaft, a countershaft, gears on said first mentioned shaft and said operating shaft for transmitting rotative movement in successive cycles to the outer section, gears on the countershaft cooperating with said gears on said rst mentioned shaft for transmitting limited movement to said lnner section at the termination of each said cycle, a, transmission shaft, and means on the transmission shaft and cooperating with said first mentioned gears for transmitting a partial rotative movement to the rst mentioned drum upon the.

rond mentioned unit for limited rotative movement with respect to the first mentioned unit.

4. `In Ya date finder unit as recited in claim 2, includmg a drum having indicia thereon relating to the indicia. on said other drums, means for imparting .rotative movement to said last ment1oneddrum, said means including a gear on the operating shaft, a gear on the supporting shaft and meshing with the last mentioned gear, a gear on said last mentioned drum and a iiexible connection between said gear on the supporting sh'aft and said last mentioned gear, and supplemental means lfor rotating said last mentioned drum independently of said last mentionedmeans, said supplemental means including a Vernier shaft,

and a gear on the Vernier shaft and meshing with the gear on the last mentioned drum.

5. In a date nder unit as recited in claim 2, wherein the gears include a double unit driving gear,vone of the units of said gear being fixed to the first mentioned shaft and the other of said units being rotatable thereabout, means mounting the second mentioned unit for limited movement with respect to the iirst mentioned unit, and means for releasing the rst mentioned unit from the operating shaft to permit partial independent rotative movement of said inner section.

6. In a date finder unit, a drum having inner and outer sections each having indicia thereon, said outer section having an openngto permit viewing of the indicia on the inner section, an operating shaft, a shaft `supporting the drum, a double unit driving gear having one unit iixed to ating shaft whereby said inner drum section may be partially rotated with respect to the outer drum section, said last mentioned means comprising a gear segment, and a pin shiftable for retracting the segment from said first mentioned means,

ELBERT L. TURNBAUGH. 

